Cutting machine



Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUTTING MACHINE seyApplication September 14, 1939, Serial No. 294,873

Claims.

This invention relates to cutting machines and is illustrated asembodied in a machine for cutting slots in insoles for the reception ofthe end portions of straps designed to hold a sandal on the foot of thewearer. It is to be understood, however, that the .invention and variousimportant features thereof may have other applications and uses.

Heretofore, various methods have been em- .ployed in securing the endportions of sandal straps to the sandal insole, with results more orless'satisfactory. While strap receiving slots in insoles have commonlybeen cut by hand operated tools, the operation is time-consuming andthere is a lack of uniformity in the results obtained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a high speed machine formaking slots of uniform character at selected points in the uppersurface of a sandal insole for the reception of strap ends, which may bereadily secured in said slots by means of a suitable cement.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an especially'simpleand inexpensive machine for making cuts or slots in work pieces atindicated points upon proper presentation of the work piece to themachine.

It is an important feature of this invention that a cutter block forco-operatio-n with a knife or cutter is associated with gaging meansadapted to locate a work piece, such as an insole, in proper positionfor a cutting operation. When in proper position a vertical edge portionof the insole engages both the gaging means and the cutter block so thatthe cutter, as it approaches the end of its stroke, cuts through themargin of the insole and makes a clean cut of the leather substancewhere the latter is backed by the cutter block. Preferably, and asshown, the cutter block yields against a spring the tension of which maybe adjusted to insure optimum resistance of the cutter block against thethrust of the cutter. By having the cutter block yieldingly mounted atone side of the gaging means or in between spaced. portions of thegaging means, the cutter in its operative stroke may pass beyond theplane of the gaging surface into engagement with an inclined surface onthe cutter block and thereby insure that the strap receiving slot is cutthrough the edge of the insole.

Preferably and as shown, the cutter is movable through an orbital path,the return or idle stroke of the cutter being above the path of itsoperative stroke. In the described movements of the cutter, the chip cutfrom the insole is lifted from the latter thereby insuringaccomplishment of the intended result.

With the described and other features and advantages in view, theinvention will now be described in detail in the specification and thenpointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a cutting machine showing oneembodiment of the inven tion;

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the work supporting table together with asectional view of gage members and a cutting block;

Fig. 3is a section in a vertical plane extending longitutdinally of thecutting block;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the cutter on a larger scale; Fig. 5 is anenlargedsectional view through a portion of an insole showing the slot or groovemade by the cutter; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the path of the cutter.

In the illustrated machine, which is specially designed to cut slots inmarginal portions of insoles, there is provided a table H) for thesupport of the work, said table having gage lines ll scored therein andcarrying fixedly secured thereto gaging means comprising spaced membersI2 (Figs. land 2) against which an edge portion of a sole is pressed tolocate the sole for a cutting operation. Convenviently, the table I0with its gages I2 is slidably mounted in a supporting member I 4 foradjustment from right to left, and vice versa, in Fig. 1, adjustmentbeing secured by the screw-threaded member l6 rotatable in a bracketmember l8 projecting downwardly from the lower surface of the table l0,said member I6 being axially immovable in the member I8 while beingscrewed into or out of a screw-threaded socket in the support I4.

Located between the gage members I2 is a cutting block (Fig. 2),preferably of compressed fiber or of a soft metal alloy such as brass,to provide an end surface for co-operation with a cutter 22 in securinga clean cut through the peripheral edge surface of the sole. As shownmost clearly in Fig. 3, the cutting block 20 is slidable on the surfaceof the table 10 and is secured to the forward end of a rod 24 slidablymounted in a member 26 screw threaded in a casing or guide member 28rigidly secured to the table H], as by brazing. Surrounding the exposedpart of the rod 24 is a spring 30 abutting the block 20 at its forwardend and the member 26 at its rear end, the said spring serving to holdthe cutting block 20 yieldingly in its normal position of rest in whichits operative surface is projected into substantial alinement with thegaging surfaces of the gage members l2, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2and 3. By adjustment of the threaded member 26, the tension of thespring 30 may be adjusted so that the cutter block 20 takes the thrustof the cutter 22 with sufficient resistance to insure clean cuttingthrough all the leather fibers right up to the surface of the edge ofthe sole. For co-operation with the spring 30 in locating the cutterblock in its position of rest, there is provided a shoulder on saidblock which engages an edge portion of the table it, as clearly shown inFig. 3. Conveniently, the cutting face of the block 20 is slantedupwardly and backwardly, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, for reasonshereinafter pointed out.

Means is provided for holding the work piece against displacement duringthe cutting operation, said means comprising in the illustratedconstruction a pair of spring members 3| (Figs. 1 and 2) secured toopposite sides of the casing 28. These spring members 3|, whil-eself-adjusting to work pieces of various thicknesses, press the workfirmly against the table In as the latter rises during upward movementof the supporting member 14 under action of a spring 33, when theoperator releases a treadle means (not shown) connected to the tablesupporting post 35 by a link member 31 (Fig. 1).

As indicated in Fig. 1, and as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, the cutter22 is trough-shaped with a cutting edge at 22a and other cutting edgesat 22b perpendicular to the cutting edge 22a, whereby a chip is takenout of the upper surface of the sole to leave a slot in said surface toa depth which may be predetermined through vertical adjustment of thetable In and its support l4. By suitable adjustment of the table If), itis possible also to accommodate work pieces of a wider range ofthicknesses. As indicated in Fig. 1, the cutter 22 is mounted in asquare opening in a clamping stud 32 which is used to secure the cutter22 to its carrier member 34.

Vertical adjustment of the support l4, and hence of the table It), issecured by proper manipulation of a knurled thumb nut 39 which is screwthreaded on a rod member 4| and locked in adjusted position by a locknut 39a, the upper end of member 4| being rigidly secured to the tablesupport l4, and the arrangement being such that the nut 39 engages theunder surface of a bracket 43 having an opening for slidably receivingthe rod 4|. Bracket 43 is rigidly carried between bearing members 45, 41for the post 35, the said bearing members being rigid with frame 49 ofthe machine. Surrounding the post 35 at its upper end is the spring 33located between the under surface of the table support l4 and the uppersurface of the bearing member 45, the said spring 33 being of suchstrength as to support the member l4, and hence the table III, in workpresenting position against the downward thrust of the cutter, thearrangement being such that the spring 33 is compressed when theoperator steps on the treadle to move the support l4 and the table I!)downwardly while a work piece is being shoved into position beneath thespring fingers 3| and against the gage members I2.

To limit the downward movement of the table l0 and support l4, there isprovided a toothed collar 53 screw threaded on the rod member 4| andheld in adjusted position by a spring 55 adapted selectively to engagethe teeth of the collar 53. It will be understood that the collar 53,when turned, changes its spacing with respect to the upper surface ofthe member 43, this spacing determining the extent of the down- 5 wardmovement of the post 35 and hence of the table support I4, when thetreadle is depressed. This limitation on the downward movement of thework support contributes to the efficiency of the machine by reducing toa minimum the time 10 necessarily involved in work support operations.As will hereinafter be pointed out the cutter 22 is continuouslyoperated so that a work piece is slotted through operation of the cutteras soon as the said Work piece is lifted into the path of the cutterthrough upward movement of the support l4 and table l0.

As illustrated, the cutter carrier 34 is operated by means designed togive the cutter movement in an orbital path, the said means comprising alink 36 pivoted at 38 to the cutter carrier 34 and at 40 in a slot in ahead 42 supported at the forward end of an arm 44 overhanging the tablel0 and integral with a post or standard 46. By adjustment of the pin at40, a desired variation in the path of the cutter (and therefore in theslot in the sole) may be secured. This standard 46 is shown as securedto the machine frame 49 which may be a bench or a column, whereby themachine is supported at a suitable height. 30 Mounted in the upper endof the post 46 is a shaft 48 having secured thereto an eccentric 50about which passes an eccentric strap 52 integral with the cuttercarrier 34. Upon rotation of the shaft 48 and eccentric 50 in thedirection 35 of the arrow (Fig. 1), the cutter carrier 34 isreciprocated first in a direction to force the cutter into the uppersurface of the sole and then into contact with the cutter block 20 toeffect a gouging of a sole member 54, as shown at 56 in Fig. 5. Towardthe end of the working stroke in this orbital movement of the cutter 22,the cutter block yields against the spring 30 and the end of the cutterwipes upwardly along the slanted face of the operative end of the cutterblock, said slanted or inclined face of the block acting as a shearingsurface in co-operation with the upwardly moving cutter, thus insuring aclean cutting operation and removal of the chip from the sole. On itsidle or return stroke, the cutter 22 moves in a path somewhat above thepath of its operative stroke. Preferably the shaft 48 will be drivencontinuously from any convenient source of power at a speed of about 750R. P. M.

In operating the machine, the operator steps on the treadle, therebydepressing the table a distance predetermined by the spacing between theadjustable member 53 and the top of fixed member 43. He then places asole on the table Ill with an indicating mark in the sole margin 60directly above one :of the gage lines scored in the surface of the tableID. The sole is then shoved firmly toward the gage members l2 until itis positioned by such gage members. Upon releasing the treadle, the soleis carried up tothe plane where it will be operated on by the 1continuously :oscillating cutter. In passing, it may be noted that whileit is desirable that the operator should operate the treadle and worksupport in properly timed relation to the travel of the cutter, it isnot necessary because no harm is done if the first cut is incomplete,since the next succeeding cut will perfect the slot or groove, Theoperator may then shift the sole to another position for a secondcutting or gouging loperation. Ordinarily the cutter will cut a slot ofabout width. If a wider slot is desired the sole is shiftedcorrespondingly and a second out is taken, :overlapping the firstsomewhat, to provide a wider slot. Due to the efiiciency and simplicityof the operation, an operator may readily produce in rapid succession anumber of slots in the sole, according to the indications carried by thelatter. As the cutter supports are shown adjusted in Fig. 1, includingthe position of the pin 40 in its slot, the cutter will make a slantingcut into the insole for about inch and then a substantially horizontalcut of about inch to and through the vertical edge of the sole, as shownin Fig. 5. However, the parts, including the supports for the table andcutter, may be adjusted to perform cutting operations for otherpurposes. For intance, the adjustment may be such as to cut into the topsurface of the sole and come out with a slanting cut clear through thethickness of the sole, thus making a notch in the periphery of the sole.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for cutting slots in an unattached sole member, a worksupport upon which the sole is supported, a gage member having a surfaceagainst which a peripheral edge portion of the sole is pressed, acutting block having a surface for co-operation with a cutter, saidsurface being substantially in the plane of said gaging surface, atrough-shaped cutter, and means to operate the cutter to cause it toenter the upper surface of the sole and to travel through the substanceof the latter to and through a portion of the peripheral edge surface ofthe sole, the cutter and the cutter block (re-operating to insure cleancutting of the material whereby a chip is removed from the sole leavinga slot in the upper surface thereof.

2. In a machine for cutting slots in an unattached sole member, asupport for a sole, a gage member secured to said support to locate thesole for the cutting operation, a cutter block adjacent to the gagemember and spring-pressed into operative position, a trough-shapedcutter to cut a slot in the sole and to co-operate with the cutter blockin completing the removal of a chip from the sole, and means to operatethe cutter in an orbital path such that the cutter presses the cutterblock back against the resistance of its backing spring and then wipesupwardly along the surface of the cutter block to insure clean cuttingand to remove the chip from the sole.

3. In a machine for cutting slots in an unattached sole member, a tabletosupport a sole to be operated upon, spaced gage members against whicha peripheral portion of the sole is pressed to locate the latter, acutter block located between the gage members, a spring backing thecutter block and operative to hold it yieldingly with its cutter surfaceprojecting substantially into the plane of the gaging surfaces of thegaging members, a trough-shaped cutter to co-pperate with the cutterblock, and means to operate the cutter to cause it to cut a slot in thesurface of the sole and to penetrate through the peripheral edge surfaceof the sole into contact with the cutter block, the extent of movementof the cutter being such as to force the cutter block backwardly fromthe plane of the gaging surfaces, thereby to insure clean cutting of thematerial and separation of a chip from the sole.

4. In a machine for cutting slots in an unattached sole member, a tablehaving a substantially horizontal surface to support a sole, a gagemember to position the sole on the table by engagement with an edgeportion of the sole, a cutter block having a slanting face to engage anedge portion of the sole adjacent to the portion engaged by the gagemember, a troughshaped cutter to co-operate with the cutter block incutting a slot in the sole and simultaneously removing a chip from thesole in producing the slot, a carrier member for the cutter, a linkpivotally supporting the front end of the cutter carrier from a pointabove the table, an eccentric for operating the cutter carrier inco-operation with said link, whereby the cutter is given aback-and-forth movement in an orbital path above said table, and aspring backing the cutter block whereby said block co-o-perates with thecutter in securing a clean cut of the material from the sole, the blockthen yielding further to permit the cutter to continue movement in itsorbital path.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a work support, atrough-shaped cutter movable in an orbital path, a gag-e having asurface for positioning a sole member with its margin in the path of thecutter, a cutting block, a spring backing the latter, said block havingan inclined surface in the path of the cutter, said block being normallyheld with its inclined surface projected into the plane of said gagingsurface, and being retractable under pressure by said cutter as thecutting edge of the latter wipes upwardly along said inclined surface tocomplete the cutting operation, and means for operating the cuttertransversely of the sole margin through the substance thereof in thedirection of the sole edge to remove a chip and to form a slot in themargin of the sole.

6. In a cutting machine, a table for supporting a Work piece, a gagemember to locate the work piece for a cutting operation, a cutter blockassociated with the gage member, a spring yieldingly backing the block,a trough-shaped cutter co-operating with the cutter block, and means tooperate the cutter in an orbital path so arranged that the cutter iscaused to engage the work piece at a point within the periphery of thelatter to initiate the cutting of a slot in the work piece and then tocontinue in its movement until it contacts the block and forces it backto complete the cutting of the slot and the removal of a chip ofmaterial from the work piece through co-operation of the cutter and themovable cutter block.

7. In a cutting machine, a cutter, means for moving the cutter in anorbital path, a table to support a work piece, a gage member to positionthe work piece on the table, said table being movable toward and fromthe path of the cutter thereby to make adjustment for varia tions in thethickness of the work to be operated upon and the depth of the cut to betaken therein, a cutter block having its operative surface locatedsubstantially in the same plane as.

the operative surface of the gage member so as to engage an edge portionof the work piece closely adjacent to the portion engaged by the gagemember, and spring means backing the cutter block to permit yielding ofthe latter against the thrust of the cutter whereby the cutter blockco-operates with the cutter in securing a clean cutting of the materialand then yields to permit continuation of the movement of the cutter inits orbital path.

8. In a cutting machine, a table for supporting a work piece, a gagemember to locate the work piece for a cutting operation, a cutter blockassociated with the gage member, a cutter co-operating with the cutterblock, means to oscillate the cutter continuously toward and from thecutter block, the gage member and table co-opcrating to position thework piece so that the cutter is caused to engage the work piece at apoint within the periphery of the latter to initiate the cutting of aslot in the work piece and then in co-operation with the cutter block tocomplete the cutting of the slot, spring means backing the worksupporting table, means to adjust the table to determine the depth ofcut for various thicknesses of work pieces, and means including saidspring means for moving the table between work receiving and workpresenting positions with respect to said oscillating cutter.

9. In a cutting machine, a cutter, a cutter block, means for oscillatingthe cutter continuously toward and from the cutter block, a table tosupport a work piece, a gage member to position the work piece on thetable, said table being adjustable toward and from the path of thecutter thereby to determine the depth of cut for various thicknesses ofthe work pieces to be operated upon, a spring to support the table inwork presenting position, and a post connected to the table, said postbeing movable downwardly to depress the table against the pressure ofsaid spring to a work receiving position, release of the post beinginstantly followed by upward movement of the table to present the workpiece in the path of the cutter.

10. In a machine for cutting a groove through the exposed surface of anunattached sole and to and through a peripheral portion thereof, a tablefor supporting a sole, a cutter shaped to cut a groove in the sole,operating means constructed and arranged to cause said cutter to enterthe exposed surface of the sole and to emerge through the edge of thesole, and a gage having a pair of ab-utments disposed upon oppositesides of the path of said cutter for engagement with the edge of thesole for gaging the sole and also for supporting the sole against thethrust of said cutter.

NAPOLEON A. MONFILS.

